With a fairly enjoyable main narrative that plays second fiddle to engaging gameplay and effective presentation, The Legend of Nayuta: Boundless Trails may be slight in terms of length when compared to other Trails games, but it’s a spinoff that matches them in quality and enjoyment. There’s something compelling about its relative simplicity and all of the small things you can do from moment to moment that all complement each other and help your character progress, both in terms of story and capability. With Ys and the Trails games typically being separated into action and turn-based combat, respectively, I’d love to see either series experiment with the other form given how well it comes off in Boundless Trails. Young Nayuta’s adventure is well worth experiencing for yourself; just don’t forget to pack a lunch.

Having played both Gato Roboto and Gunbrella, I’d say that the former is the stronger overall experience, edging out the latter because of its progress-halting bugs (which may be mostly hammered out during the game's launch). The atmosphere and movement abilities of Gunbrella are excellent, but the lack of enemies and opportunities to use the titular weapon are a bit disappointing. If you prefer more of an adventure-game bent to your action-platformer, then Gunbrella is definitely worth a look, even if its rain-shielding, double-barreled frame could use a little more polish and a lot more target practice.

Escape Academy : The Complete edition is a great collection of escape-room puzzles that are a must-play for fans of point-and-click adventure games and looking for a fun time racking their brains. The co-op, whether local or online is an absolute must and improves the experience by a mile. While you won’t get too much out of the story and characters, the additional level packs add on top of the good serving of puzzles you’ll encounter. I have to admit that after my time with Escape Academy, some actual escape rooms will have a hard time living up to this experience.

Overall Anonymous;Code is one of the more interesting visual novels I have played. The animated 3D models used in place of the usual static 2D character portraits do a fantastic job of giving each character personality by making them feel more alive and expressive. The soundtrack is also great, composed by series regular Takeshi Abo, and it especially shines during particularly action heavy scenes. The localization is overall solid though there were a few typos here and there as well as a line or two that felt a little stilted or awkward, but again these do not occur very often. I am not sure if I would put it at the same level as its most successful predecessor (Steins;Gate), but Anonymous;Code is a very worthy addition to the Science Adventure series and a game that anybody interested in visual novels should definitely take a look at.

Maquette can be a beautiful and enjoyable experience until you grapple with poor 3D puzzles and a slew of glitches. The heart of its story is moving; the game can even be cathartic when everything aligns seamlessly. However, this story ends up being undercut by uneven gameplay, glitches, and subpar performance. If you can approach it with patience, you might appreciate the mesmerizing set pieces and a story that will surely tug at your heartstrings. But after my experience with Maquette, and encountering one too many shoddy 3D puzzles, I'm inclined to just swipe left.

Rune Factory 3 Special isn’t going to be for every farming game fan and won’t dethrone Stardew Valley as the most popular farming game, but its charming characters and setting make for a very enjoyable experience. I was surprisingly pleased at the quality of the writing and the depth of some of the crafting systems, and those propelled Rune Factory 3 Special forward to make it both relaxing and engaging. This is a worthy addition to the Switch library, and one I might return to in the future, if only to spend some time with some of my new favorite characters.

Should you possess a particular affinity for Taito’s arcade past and the shooters, platformers, and fighters from their heyday, then a second Milestones collection is probably right up your alley. The online leaderboards offered by the Arcade Archives versions here add to the replay value, but it’s again a little disappointing to see a noticeable lack of bonus features, extra content, or presentation elements. The two Taito Milestones compilations are fairly barebones compared to some of the offerings from Capcom and Konami, but I can still appreciate having the opportunity to revisit–or experience for the first time–a back catalog of offerings from a historic developer.

It’s easy to glance at Bomb Rush Cyberfunk and see a cheap imitation. A work whose value is found in what it takes rather than what it creates. But Team Reptile has proven that derivative art can surpass its inspirations. I can recall nearly half a dozen instances of me starting Jet Set Radio with the hope that it would finally click, that I could finally enjoy moving in that world as much as I enjoyed being in it, only to never make it past the second level. In a year chock full of landmark releases, I’m booting up Bomb Rush Cyberfunk again to make up for all the lost time, to play the game that I always hoped existed. Now that I have it, I simply just can’t get enough.

There's a lot about Sea of Stars that I want to shout from the rooftops about. Were I to do that here, though, I'd be robbing you of the joy of discovering an RPG experience for the ages. I've come across a miniscule number of video games I have the urge to immediately replay after finishing, and almost none that take 20-30 hours to roll credits on. Sea of Stars, though, is a near flawless take on the turn-based RPG. At times it wears its SNES inspirations on its sleeves (and proudly), but it evolves the combat to a level of perfection. Every aspect of the game is fun, or emotional, or tantalizingly brain-teasing, and I haven't been able to put it down even after rolling credits a dozen hours of playtime earlier. You'll smile, laugh, and maybe even cry as you help Valere and Zale complete their mission, but there's one thing for certain: you'll never forget it.

Shotgun King has a surprising amount of depth hidden under its fairly basic premise. It puts an entertaining roguelike spin on a well-worn board game, and the result is a match made in checkerboard heaven (not to be confused with Checkers itself). Without a doubt, there’s frustration to be found in drawing cards that don’t really synergize with each other, putting you into seemingly unwinnable scenarios. That said, runs are generally quite short, under 20 minutes in most cases, and so it’s easy enough to start right back up again after a loss. The presentation is quite clean and straightforward, but there’s a strong flash of light that accompanies the defeat of the enemy king–not something that normally affects me, but I did turn it off in the settings menu. It might not be a certain checkmate, but Shotgun King kept me in check more often than not, and it’s a pleasant and worthwhile distraction that deserves a spot among the higher tiers of run-based Switch games.

Despite the numerous additions and subtractions, I found myself addicted to Blasphemous 2. I was constantly scouring the map for new paths or hidden items and enjoying the smooth new movement. The gripes don’t take away from what a vast improvement Blasphemous 2 is from its predecessor. It’s slightly less punishing while polishing up a lot of the rough edges. Right when I started to feel the fatigue is when the game ended. The customization is substantial and the story brings even more rich lore to this world. I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Cvstodia and plan on going back to 100% it, after I’ve had a bit of a break. Thank the miracle, this game rules.

Vampire Survivors is not an especially challenging or substantive game, but it is one that feels good to relax and unwind with for a half hour at a time. A podcast that I listen to once described the game as “my favorite slot machine”, and it’s a moniker I think is very apt for how good Vampire Survivors is at giving a satisfying rush of dopamine with its overwhelmingly flashy effects, absurd power curve, and snappy pace of upgrading. There are no hidden depths lurking under the surface and I truly don’t know what more I could say about the game than I already have, but it doesn’t need to be anything more than it is. Sometimes I just want to see big explosions, flashing colors, and numbers going up, and Vampire Survivors gives me all of that in great quantities with pretty much no friction along the way.

Marble It Up Ultra is exactly the type of sequel that the original release needed. It takes the excellent foundation and builds a deeper and more fulfilling game around it. This is packed with more challenges and a greater variety. While the multiplayer might not be something that stays populated, the leaderboards do a great job of extending the experience beyond the campaign. And also the terse challenge of the bonus chapters and weekly challenges adds to the fun. It’s a (marble) blast to see this come together as well as it does.

It seems as though the Zeboyd partnership is going on hiatus for a bit to recharge the batteries, but This Way Madness Lies is a nice game to go on break with. It’s more of a sonnet than a full-on Shakespeare play, and the Switch definitely needs something short in this realm after some of the absolute marathons I’ve had to deal with recently.

Pikmin 4 is everything I could’ve wanted from a new Pikmin game and more. It is simultaneously a return to form with a heavy focus on Dandori and also a leap forward with entirely new mechanics and big improvements to returning mechanics. There are some flaws—nighttime missions are a drag and the early tutorials are dreadfully slow—but those warts don’t outweigh everything Pikmin 4 manages to achieve. This is a new standard for Pikmin; all we can do now is hope it doesn’t take another ten years for Pikmin 5.

Zombie Soup is a flawed but interesting twin-stick shooter. I certainly enjoyed my time with it but there were a number of frustrations that made it hard to be an instant recommendation. It doesn’t add anything particularly new to the genre while also not being polished enough to perfect the genre. That said, it’s a solid game that makes me want to see more from this studio, and one I would recommend to fans of these shooters who want that welcome satisfaction of triumphing over a stiff challenge.

The structure in place here is encouraging though and I hope Legend Bowl has a future as the football video game landscape is dire, especially on Switch. Refining the gameplay or deepening gameplay options and tutorials could go a long way into making this an arcade classic. To bake in a relevant sports metaphor, this game is like the first season after moving on from a franchise legend. You could wind up with a losing first season but end up with a first-ballot Hall of Famer when their career is over. Or this could turn out to be a bust and get the head coach fired. Only time will tell because there is a lotta ballgame left.

Tiny Thor still manages to charm and bring new mechanics to an old school genre of game. The boss battles are clever fights that are feasible with practice. The music and art style is top notch, and the main mechanic of angling your shots works really well. It's when the game ups the challenge to a point that the movement and abilities aren’t necessarily equipped for. Instigating a fast paced timer based wall jump challenge, when the wall jump itself has a 1-2 second delay on it, is one specific example. These kinds of instances do more to point out the games’ limitations instead of highlight them. Still, those fiending for a new throwback challenge have got your work cut out for you. I really enjoyed my time with the 30 some odd levels of Tiny Thor, but more so in spite of itself than because of it.

Teslagrad Remastered is an accomplished 2D platformer with a unique magnetic-based ability that shines while traversing the tower and being a puzzle-solving tool. Though the boss battles sometimes feel a little less tight an experience, that’s a small blemish on an otherwise fantastic gameplay experience. With a fresh coat of paint and sharing the same price point as the original, this is an easy recommendation for those who enjoy older feeling indie platforms or as a primer to Teslagrad 2.

Its drawbacks are a shame because the game has a good foundation. The underlying switching mechanic is strong and most of the platforming is solid in theory. It feels like this one needed more time in the oven, but a more refined version–or a sequel left to gestate–would probably provide a great time. As it stands, Chronicles of 2 Heroes is a mildly frustrating experience that I had to convince myself to keep playing for this review.

Dordogne is an interesting, imperfect game with some phenomenal design and visuals. The watercolor graphics make for one of the most stunning games I’ve seen for a while, and some of the interactive choices worked incredibly well, such as the activity of putting photos and poems together to make the binder Mimi longs to rediscover. While there are certain areas of frustration, I ultimately enjoyed my time in exploring Mimi’s childhood memories (and my own) through art.

Venba packs an emotional punch, but it also pulls its punches a little bit, too. There’s more to this narrative and this family that deserves to be included in the experience, and while the cooking segments definitely sing, I’m ultimately left feeling like I’ve been served an appetizer rather than a main course. It’s beautiful in its colorful but minimalistic presentation and has a fitting musical score. I’m just longing to spend more time in Venba’s charming kitchen and to be invited to share in more of the moments in her life.

When The Master’s Pupil lands just right, it's remarkable. That being said, you’ll spend a lot of time in very similar environments. It makes sense given the context of the story being told, but it can make progress feel a bit less substantial. I also encountered several puzzles where I was able to move into an essentially unwinnable position, forcing me to restart the puzzle from the menu. Nonetheless, it is hard not to fall in love with what feels like an interactive, biographical art gallery. The ways in which Monet’s paintings are intertwined into levels only gets better as the game goes on, resulting in a simple but unique adventure.

Hyper Meteor rocks as it succeeds at being a fun arcade high-score chaser with a lot of good vibes and enjoyable details. Even if you only put a few hours into it exploring each mode and visual flourish, it’s still a worthwhile game. But if you go down the rabbit hole of chasing high scores, you’ll be rocketing into meteors for days.

I don’t think the backlog will ever let me see every suitor’s ending in Jack Jeanne, but the ones I did reach were worth the extreme amounts of effort I had to put in. And it's nice that we have a proof of concept for "replicating physical performance in a rhythm game" like I asked for last month. Still, hopefully there’s a nice long break before the next rhythm novel because I definitely need one.

Might & Magic: Clash of Heroes has held up very well despite many similar games coming out in the intervening years. It offers a high level of depth in its battle system that keeps you coming back, and is especially well suited to the Switch’s handheld mode that makes it easy to say “just one more battle.”

I’m blown away by Disney Illusion Island. In a sea of hard-as-nails Metroidvanias like Hollow Knight or Metroid Dread, it stands out as being just as well-crafted but skewing towards a different, gentler experience. This is the platonic ideal for an entry-level platformer because it is filled with smartly designed gameplay that takes well-worn tropes and makes them more approachable for everyone while still providing a nice romp for those experienced with these types of games. If you’re a parent who wishes your child would cut the crap and start playing Symphony of the Night with you, maybe start them here and then work your way up to fighting Dracula with some pit stops like Ori and Guacamelee along the way. Here’s hoping the quality of this game leads to the Quackshot remake of my dreams.

After throwing my share of punches and delivering a healthy dose of kicks, I can safely say that I did enjoy my time with Double Dragon Gaiden: Rise of the Dragons. This latest entry in the brawling brothers series employs some sound tactics to keep the gameplay feeling good across multiple playthroughs. Its lack of staying power holds me back from offering a full-throated recommendation, but beat-'em-up fans will definitely be able to squeeze some juice out of this muscle-bound orange. Even if I'll always prefer Bimmy to Billy, Double Dragon Gaiden has enough moves to make it worth a look.

Overall, I think that Koa and the Five Pirates is a great reworking of the Summer in Mara world and characters. Being a 3D character platformer just makes the gameplay feel fast-paced and welcoming. Like I stated, for younger players this is a great introduction to these types of games if you’re looking for something that might be even more accessible than Mario. For platforming veterans there’s some decent challenge in getting gold medals in every stage, but other than that it might feel a bit too simple. The game might be unpolished in a few places, but there was very little that hampers the gameplay experience. Leaving the door open for future Mara adventures, I think that these characters really lend themselves to different genres and experiences. Even if I didn’t pick up on many of the callbacks to Summer in Mara, I could tell that the developers really like these characters and this world they’ve created. Perhaps it’s time to explore the RTS or RPG genre in Mara?

Monster Menu: The Scavenger’s Cookbook is frustrating because I feel like there could be a good game in here. In fact, if NIS decided to put out a sequel, I might be inclined to check it out because they have made a number of excellent RPGs in the past. It just feels like they threw in so many systems, meters, and mechanics that they forgot to put in something to compel you to keep playing. There are many better games out there in all of the genres that this one borrows from that despite interesting ideas, Monster Menu can’t come together to provide a satisfying meal.

Pikmin 2 is a tough game to recommend, especially with the brand new Pikmin 4 featuring a much more successful version of its key feature, the caverns. The high difficulty requires a lot of investment from the player to overcome, and the lack of bespoke design underground makes the journey to overcome those obstacles too tedious to feel rewarding. Dedicated fans who want to be pushed into learning the intricacies of Pikmin’s mechanics will find something special in the unique challenge, but pretty much everything else about Pikmin 2 has been pulled off much better in another game in the franchise.

As we present final arguments to a court overseen by a busty death god, the detective gameplay, captivating characters, and enticing plot serve as compelling evidence for recommending Master Detective Archives: RAIN CODE. Pacing and loading issues aside, the signature brand of storytelling that made the Danganronpa trilogy so refreshing is on full display here. I genuinely grew to adore the pairing of Yuma and Shinigami by the game's end, and that’s a testament to how well both characters are written and voiced. There are some rough patches in this murder-filled mystery adventure, but it's a ride well worth experiencing.

Fuga Melodies of Steel 2 is a really solid strategy RPG. It uses complex systems of character interactions that feel absolutely meaningful to story and combat progression. What keeps it out of the upper tier of similar games is its reliance on having played the first game, a large cast of characters that tend to blend together, and some extra mechanics that mostly feel out of place. Fuga is trying to do a lot, when really it just needs to focus on what works. Despite its bloat, the game boasts a short 20 or so hours to complete and in a world of 100-hour games, and there’s something to be said about a short but sweet experience. When the game is going, it feels great to play and has a compelling story, if not overwhelming to get started. Regardless of its dark and gritty war torn world, Fuga Melodies of Steel 2 provides a little bit of hope in the tactical RPG space.

What it ultimately comes down to is that if you liked the original Oxenfree, then you will probably enjoy Oxenfree II. It should be noted that while the game ran smoothly for most of its run time I did run into a few minor bugs, most notably a dialogue bubble staying on screen when I took out Riley’s radio just as a different cutscene was happening. These were inconsequential, but what was not was the fact that exactly one time the game did crash on me. Luckily the game is constantly auto saving so no progress was lost, but any crash is still frustrating nonetheless. Getting past those though, I found this second entry into the story of Edwards Island to be worthwhile. The world feels dark and mysterious, the voice actors are all killing their roles, and for those who have played the original game you will probably walk away feeling satisfied with at least one of the possible endings the game offers, I know I was.

In the end, A Wonderful Life still feels like a game that was released in 2003, and whether or not you consider that a good thing will depend on what you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a very simple farming game to kill a few hours with here and there, or just looking for a trip down nostalgia lane, you’ll probably find yourself enjoying it. If you’re hoping for something as full featured and engaging as the modern games that have come out of the genre’s recent indie boom, then you’re not likely to find it here. Personally, I have enjoyed my time in Forgotten Valley and the experience of building a little family. While years can feel like they crawl by slowly, the progression you get to see as kids around the village get older and new people arrive in the valley is nice and satisfying to experience. I look forward to spending a lot more of my time in this sleepy little village.

Atelier Marie isn’t the Atelier series at its peak, but I wouldn’t expect it to be: it is the first game in the series, after all. As such, I likely wouldn’t recommend this game to a newcomer to the series. Each subseries (i.e. Arland, Dusk, Mysterious, Ryza/Secret) is self-contained, so it’s not necessary to play Marie before those other games. However, for fans of the series it’s fun to see where it all started and how much Gust got right from the start, considering this is still a very fun, breezy JRPG to play. It makes me hope that other games in the series can be brought to modern platforms and that the Atelier series can continue to thrive.

This game is primarily geared to a younger audience, but even still if this type of relaxed experience suits you, I hope you accept the invitation to relive your childhood. And to parents introducing their kids to The Legend of Zelda, putting Lil Gator Game on ahead of Breath of the Wild might be a magical thing to see.

There’s no question in my mind that AEW’s game debut is the best wrestling game we’ve had on a Nintendo console in more than a decade. But as a multiplatform game, the Switch is clearly struggling to handle it, which is odd as THQ Nordic ports on Switch tend to run on par with their counterparts on other consoles. Hopefully this isn’t an annual release and it gets some post launch support to clean things up, because as of now it didn’t meet the pre-launch goal of being a WWF No Mercy killer. It’s more of a WCW/nWo World Tour - a good first effort with potential to be a classic, but it needs a bit more work.

I wasn’t really feeling the romance elements in Charade Maniacs, though that may have been because I was trying to figure out the meta-story anyway. It’s a solid read that I’ll probably rip through again in a few months when they actually SLOW DOWN with these games.

While it may not be my favorite Trails game, Reverie is still a fantastic conclusion to the adventures of Rean, Lloyd, and the rest of their comrades and confidants. While the pseudo replacement of sidequests with side stories discovered in the Reverie Corridor doesn’t quite offer the same fulfillment, there’s no denying the sheer amount of things to do within this central hub area. It’s also very enjoyable to spend a couple hours with one group in one area of the continent and then shift over to a different group to catch up on how their mission is going. The stopping points where the game forces you to pick up another protagonist’s journey are natural and work well, and the combat and music are as engaging as ever. Any RPG fan who hasn’t played a Trails game needs to find time to remedy that glaring oversight, and know that you’ll have a captivating reunion-like experience waiting for you with Trails into Reverie. Even if it takes finishing a collection of 40-plus hour RPGs to get there.

Last Hero of Nostalgaia is one of the better Souls-likes I’ve ever played. It understands exactly what makes the genre compelling, and manages to spin a delightful world around it, without getting too caught up in trying to reinvent the wheel. The Switch port mostly delivers on this, but at times world streaming does cause real issues. While the perfect storm of performance struggles and combat rarely overlap, when they do it can be legitimately frustrating. Still, the customization of performance options offered is appreciated, even if it doesn’t eliminate the issue. Your mileage with the Switch port will depend on your individual tolerance for asset streaming stutter. For those looking for a smoother experience, the Xbox version (and presumably the Playstation port) can offer that. But the Switch provides a flawed though still highly enjoyable time overall.

Replaying Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective really cemented my feeling that this is still one of best mystery stories ever told in the medium.

Overall Smushi Come Home is the definition of a wholesome experience. Seeing this type of game is becoming a lot more common, but thankfully the remixing of several types of traversal controls makes it stand out on its own. It’s not about speedrunning, collecting hundreds of objects, or even fighting any enemies. Instead, Smushi finds joy in the moments where you can just explore this big world as a tiny little mushroom, making it just feel great to play. For those wanting to have a brief but cozy experience for an afternoon, or if you want to introduce a younger player to what a 3D-platformer is all about, this is one indie you don’t want to miss.

Harmony: Fall of Reverie is a fascinating and experimental exercise in how to write a branching narrative in a way that keeps the player occupied with more than just the occasional binary choice. The way it handles the path the player takes as they progress, especially with the mechanic of gathering crystals, is like nothing else that I have ever played. While it is a shame that the loading screen issues drag the experience down a bit, for fans of narratives in video games and the unique ways only a game can tell them, Harmony is well worth a look.

If you’ve ever played We Love Katamari or any version of the original Katamari Damacy, then you already know what you’ll be getting into with We Love Katamari Reroll. It’s an incremental improvement at best—both as a sequel to Katamari Damacy and as a port of We Love Katamari—but if that’s all you’re looking for then the end result will certainly be satisfying. Katamari is already such an unusual game that maybe its sequel doesn’t need to be particularly groundbreaking, and since it’s so rare for any Katamari game to be released at all it’s absolutely a good place to start for anyone that hasn’t gotten to experience the series’ weird and wonderful vibes.

The editing was mostly good, but it seemed like every other route was clean while the other ones had the odd duplicated word or typo. It wasn’t bad enough to be notable, though. The biggest graphical complaint I had was more of a sin of omission; I never actually got a chance to see the threads that represent the emotions of the characters, only the black ones that signaled impending blightfall. It was called out in the text, but it’d be better if it was shown instead of told. The soundtrack is standard background music that I really had to turn up to get it noticeable.

Even if the idea of a point-and-click adventure game scares you off, The Case of the Golden Idol can be understood and enjoyed by anyone who has an interest in detective fiction. The stories can be gruesome and horrific at times, but that also makes them intriguing puzzleboxes to sit down and solve. At times while playing I looked up at the clock and realized I had been squinting at the screen and was lost in thought solving a puzzle for nearly an hour. The year of narrative bangers just keeps on rolling and if you are even remotely interested in solving a good mystery, The Case of the Golden Idol should be at the top of your list!

If you want more interactivity or branching out of your visual novels, Ghostpia is probably not going to scratch that itch. For what it is, however, I found Ghostpia to be a delightful time both story-wise and aesthetically. The cast of characters is fun and varied, from the anxious Sayoko to the bubbly and optimistic Yoru, and all of them etch themselves into your memory immediately. Ghostpia never fully throws out an explanation for many of its mysteries, but with a season 2 apparently already planned it fits to leave some questions unanswered. Those looking for a purely narrative experience that may take you back to those late nights watching Inuyasha will find that weirdly precise desire in this town full of ghosts, and I have a feeling you won't regret your visit.

Decarnation is a game with a lot of potential that it just doesn't realize. There are absolutely good points to the game, such as its fantastic sprite art for the environments around you or the grotesque monster designs you encounter throughout, and the plot is also at times very relatable to anybody else going through a similar downward spiral in life, but this is not enough to counteract the overly long minigames or the unfortunately lackluster puzzles. This is made a bit worse by the fact that the game hits the point where most stories of this type usually end, and then keeps going for upwards of an hour, doggedly refusing to roll credits in favor of a drawn out series of epilogue scenes. I really wanted to like Decarnation–it was near the top of my list in terms of most anticipated indie titles for the year–but sadly it just did not deliver the experience I had hoped. It is not what I would necessarily call a bad game, but it is one held back by its multiple missteps along the way.

Super Mega Baseball 4, like its predecessors, has become the new standard for arcade sports games upon its release. Metalhead Software has refined near perfection over the past few years and I’m in love with the lineup of MLB Legends and the new addition of Shuffle Draft.

If you’re already an Etrian fan and never played EO3 (especially since it didn’t get a 3DS Untold release like the first two titles), then the multiple endings, varied character classes, and nautical theming are more than enough to warrant a look.

I’m thrilled that Etrian Odyssey exists beyond the DS and 3DS, but what we got doesn’t hit the highs of the series. Atlus admirably tried to make it work on Switch, but the controls for drawing your map aren’t as natural as they were on DS and 3DS. Etrian Odyssey II is still a great video game, with a really good progression through each stratum and a lot of depth and synergies between the classes and abilities. My hope is that if Etrian Odyssey survives beyond this dungeon crawl, the next release will be more future-focused than porting over the past.

With the focus on game preservation that we’ve seen in recent years, I never imagined that the Etrian Odyssey series would be preserved anywhere close to its original form. The fact that they thought it worth bringing to Switch is amazing, and though it didn’t come over entirely clean, it’s still worth bringing back Fight, Heal, and the rest of the crew for one more dungeon dive.

For any minor faults, Tears of the Kingdom is still a game that manages to dwarf what many would consider one of the best games ever made. In that sense the only criticism of Tears of the Kingdom I can really offer is that in a few nitpicky areas it is still only as good as one of history's most celebrated games. And beyond those few things, is a game that invites the player to engage with it to a degree I’ve never seen before. This is a game that revels in you outsmarting it. This is a game that shows the value of a game being given time to cook and of a studio that has supported a consistent group of developers working on the same series for decades. The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is not a game anyone else could make. This is why you bought your Switch, even if you didn’t know it at the time.

If you’ve never played Final Fantasy V and have an affinity for RPGs, I suggest you drop everything and play this video game. I truly believe it stands tall among the best of the entire Final Fantasy series, carving its own distinct path with the refined job system. The Pixel Remaster is as close to a definitive release as we’ve had of Final Fantasy V in the west so far. I do wish I didn’t have to offer a handful of caveats, but this is still a good version of an all-time great.

Farming Simulator 23 is not a game for newcomers. My time playing was largely filled with confusion, and the in-game tutorials and guides do very little to point a new player in the right direction. It may appeal to core fans of the franchise since it is at least a portable version of the game, but the scaled-back features are likely to be what those players care about the most, and anyway the price tag of $45 is frankly a joke compared to the $8 this same version of the game costs on Android and iOS. Perhaps I’m wrong and there’s some X factor a hardcore Farming Simulator fan can tell I’m missing, but Farming Simulator 23 is a clear non-starter for newcomers that clearly lacks plenty of content that longtime fans have come to enjoy on more powerful hardware.

Puzzle Bobble EveryBubble emphasizes cooperative multiplayer but that doesn’t detract from it as a solo experience. The variety of levels and mechanics make each stage feel like its own puzzle, and the unlockable EX stages offer a stout challenge for those so inclined. The amount of content within the story mode in particular and the way EveryBubble scales based on the number of players lead me to give it a hearty recommendation. It could use a few more options in VS mode and extras in the main menu, but overall this is a puzzler well worth busting a move to.

Perhaps the biggest praise I can offer of the FFII Pixel Remaster is that it seemingly fixed the accuracy of healing items when I needed them in battle. Though another feature the game “offered” was differentiation between status effects that expire at the end of the battle and ones that remain, and they have separate curative spells. Said spells still “missed”. Thankfully, this didn’t happen late enough to be a hard stop on my enjoyment of the game. If you are going to go on the Final Fantasy vision quest, definitely make sure you use the Pixel Remaster to play FFII. If thou must.

Advance Wars 1+2: Re-Boot Camp is exactly what it promises. A polished and fine tuned remake of the original two Advance Wars games. In this package you’ll get two great strategic experiences that come with plenty of missions, objectives, multiplayer modes and even a map creator to keep you entertained for a good long while. Though the music may get a tad repetitive and the game feels best suited for short play sessions, these two games are a great return to form for the Advance Wars series. It does leave me hopeful that the next iteration will put less emphasis on the visual “Re-Boot” and more on the gameplay “Advancement” of this franchise.

Had I played Final Fantasy 3 in 1990, I probably would have been more impressed with it, but the job class system as an RPG mechanic has improved immeasurably in the intervening years. At the end of the day, FF3 does more interesting things with its run-time than does the original Final Fantasy, and I might even recommend it over that one. Taking full advantage of the quality-of-life features built into the Pixel Remaster series is a great way to enjoy one of the lesser played entries in this storied Square Enix franchise. While it shouldn’t be the only or the first Final Fantasy you play, it’s still worth a look for any RPG enthusiast.

In Atelier Ryza 3: Alchemist of the End and The Secret Key, there’s plenty of systems to min/max to your heart’s content, and fans will enjoy getting to hang out with the cast one final time. While I wish things were perhaps a bit more compact, most will enjoy the expansive world and plethora of experiences to have, even if the text is more than a little hard to read. This finale to Ryza’s summer adventures is nonetheless a worthwhile journey for fans to embark on.

Nuclear Blaze is a brisk experience, but one that will give just enough timing and puzzle challenges to keep you engaged through the entire run. Its simplicity is its strength, focusing on the action first and foremost and using those limited toolsets to approach each flame. An impressive approach to difficulty and an appropriate amount of mystery puts this game into a neat package that is approachable and as challenging as you’d prefer. Nuclear Blaze is short, sweet, and definitely worth a look.

The daunting scale of Dokapon Kingdom is both its greatest strength and its greatest weakness. The length of the story mode heavily depends on the people you’re playing with and how efficiently you complete objectives, but discussion of the game online tells me that it takes roughly 25 hours to finish a single playthrough—and that’s if you’re quick! This enables an incredible opportunity to craft an ongoing adventure with friends that devolves into spiteful chaos as time goes by, with tension higher than any other multiplayer game I’ve ever played.

Speaking of unexpected, what Future Redeemed does best is recontextualize the ending of Xenoblade 3.

Final Fantasy is still a great game even if it shows its age and this release isn’t the best it could be. I love traipsing around this world with my warriors of light. I love the music and the style. If you’ve never played the original Final Fantasy before, the experience and money boosts make it easy to experience without the grind. This is a good enough release of Final Fantasy and for that I recommend it, but I wish this could have been the slam-dunk definitive version.

Tin Hearts is a delightfully charming puzzle game, the likes of which I’ve not played in a long time. The story is effortlessly engaging and the puzzle mechanics demand you play just one more level. They’re not unfairly obtuse while also still offering a solid challenge. The opening stages don’t show the game in its best light right away, but once things get moving Tin Hearts is difficult to put down. A few minor technical and user interface issues caused some brief stumbling but rarely put a damper on my enjoyment.

Afterimage will undoubtedly have its fans since the game has figured out the hard parts—gorgeous art, snappy combat, and a sprawling, detailed world. Sadly the game stumbles on the boring parts—tutorials, equipment screens, and general UX design—which creates a frustrating experience for anyone that doesn’t quite ‘get’ it on the first try.

Now that it’s been cleaned up, Norn9: Var Commons is one of the stronger romance novel entries on Switch. With a neat plot, no time to get bored with a suitor because there’s still plenty to go, and just enough hints to guess where the common ending will go, it'll be worth some time heading to meet The World.

Trinity Trigger still scratches a specific itch very well. This Mana-inspired game brings the three-player co-op fun back from the Super Nintendo era, but now without the need for a Multitap. This is a good romp for a single player, but it is best suited for a pair or a trio who want to traipse through a fantasy world slaying foes and finding treasure chests. This won’t rival the highs of action RPGs, but it’s an adventure well worth playing.

So far, the vast majority of the visual upgrades and the new quality of life features make the Pixel Remaster for Final Fantasy VI a strong candidate for being the best way to experience one of Square Enix’s most compelling RPGs. I almost neglected to mention that a bestiary, music player, and gallery are all accessible from the main menu, rounding out the package quite nicely. I’m eager to see how summoned Espers look in all their glory, in addition to the always sublime Opera House scene.

Coffee Talk Episode 2: Hibiscus & Butterfly refuses to fix what isn’t broken, and it adds a few new mechanics that freshen up the gameplay just enough. While elements of its narrative aren’t quite as strong as those of the first Coffee Talk, it remains an incredibly chill and peaceful experience, and I’d gladly play through as many episodes as the developers choose to bless us with. Catching up with old friends is one of my favorite pastimes, and being able to do it in video game form is something I can definitely raise a glass to.

As far as compilation re-releases go, you're getting basically all the Mega Man Battle Network experiences in a single package, and the achievements, online play, and bonus art make this the definitive way to play these 10 GBA games. If you're completely new to the series, know that the individual experiences on offer here don't change too much from MMBN 1 to 6; do your homework before committing to purchasing and playing more than one of these games. As an interesting departure from the action-platforming of other Mega Man titles, the Battle Network line certainly has my respect, but I'm not in a hurry to wade through all the repetition built into the MMBN Legacy Collection.

GrimGrimoire OnceMore (with feeling) is a textbook example of how to retain an enjoyable experience and modernize it for a contemporary audience. The whimsical characters and art shine in HD, and the RTS gameplay holds up well on Switch. The stages do get a little repetitive as you make your way through the main story, but there’s more than enough meat on these bones to justify a purchase for fans of Vanillaware’s previous works or anyone looking for a satisfying RTS with a fantasy coat of paint.

Overall, Curse of the Sea Rats is a game I think has a lot of potential, but the samey characters and bugs hold it back from being what it seems like it really could be. If you’re really itching for a new metroidvania experience, or just really like rats for some reason, you could definitely do a lot worse than this one, but I sadly cannot say I would recommend you dash to the eshop as fast as you can for it.

At the end of the day, I'm not left with much to remember about Melon Journey: Bittersweet Memories. The charm of its characters and writing are readily apparent, but there's simply not much to do in places like Ham Town and Hog Town. While the hard crashes certainly put a damper on my experience, it was the fact that I really had to force myself to keep picking up the game that speak volumes. Those looking for a light and chill story-centered adventure may enjoy the handful of hours you can sink into Melon Journey. Others may want to stick to watermelon for their sweet memories.

Overall, Have A Nice Death is a great roguelike experience for those who are looking for something that isn’t too challenging to the genre as a whole. That’s not to say that the game itself lacks difficulty, far from it–the word “death” is literally in the title. But Have A Nice Death knows what it wants to achieve and really sharpens its blade on the combat, movement, and overall accessibility of its roguelike gameplay. Its unique style and theming definitely set it apart, although that really can’t be said for the characters you meet along the way. On Switch, it is a fine experience, but do keep in mind that loading times will be a constant issue while traveling through Death Inc. I think it is good that there’s a roguelike out there that forgoes the paperwork and just gets stuff done. What more can you ask for from a bureaucracy?

Dredge takes the simple fishing simulator formula and layers on just enough new mechanics to make the gameplay loop a spectacular experience from start to finish. The constant fear and impending sense of dread make sure you’re always uncomfortable, making Dredge a master class in the subtlety of horror. Even though the story never comes out and explains everything that’s happening, it does enough to make sure you can put it together, while relying on the journey you’ve made for yourself to stand tall. All in all, Dredge is one of those near-perfect indie games—it accomplishes everything it sets out to do, keeps the player entertained throughout, and manages to be innovative in an industry filled with games for us to play.

I ended my playthrough of Chained Echoes at roughly 65 hours. On the Switch OLED this game is beautiful, the vibrant pixel art aesthetic shines on screen, and its performance other than the aforementioned UI bug is flawless. Gameplay is also buttery smooth and appears to be running at a high frame rate. I enjoyed my time in Valandis so much that I experienced as much of the side content as I could. This full length RPG stands as a love letter to the games I grew up with. The inspirations are clear, and yet this is a wholly unique RPG experience that anyone who has an affinity for the style–and 90s’ RPGs in particular–owes it to themselves to enjoy.

Assault Suits Valken Declassified is a love letter to a series that wasn’t as represented in the West as it was in Japan. This 2023 re-release adds a lot of fascinating bonus materials that are sure to excite fans, but the main game itself is a tough one to recommend given its difficulty and awkward controls. That said, I’m all for revivals of titles from the 2000s, ‘90s, and earlier, and therefore very supportive of the work done by M2 and Rainmaker Productions on Assault Suits Valken Declassified.

Given that the game can be finished or even completed in a couple hours and just how obvious it borrows from a title like Shovel Knight, it’s tough to wholeheartedly recommend Kraino Origins. Indie games are at their most endearing when they blaze an entirely new trail or offer a unique look at what we’ve seen many times before. Neither of those objectives are met in Kraino’s adventure, and the lack of any noticeable style or charm means that the game rests on its gameplay laurels. They aren’t enough, however, to elevate Kraino Origins over the majority of action-platformers on Switch.

MLB The Show 23 continues to be an incredible baseball game if you’re looking for a flexible experience with real-life players. You can get deep into the details with hardcore simulation play, especially with the improved in-game UI that gives you a cleaner readout on the specifics of your pitch or swing. You can also flip the game to casual and just sit back and relax, ripping some dingers and striking some dudes out. Or you can toss out the idea of playing full games and just experience history in the incredible Negro League Storylines mode. Even if the visuals border on being potato quality, this game rocks on Switch.

Blanc, on the whole, is a fun, short experience that barely makes it out without overstaying its welcome. By the end, I was ready to call this journey a successful, but sometimes frustrating one. It’s great for a date night, but any longer would be too much. Its story is simple and inconsequential. Blanc also has a single player option, but it’s absolutely miserable. Controlling one character per Joy-Con is an annoying experience I wouldn’t suggest. The real stand out here is the soundtrack. I would put this soundtrack in the same tier as games like Hollow Knight and Ori and the Blind Forest. My biggest takeaway is that the Blanc soundtrack should be on everyone’s playlists, even if the game itself shouldn’t.

Overall, I had a great time with Rytmos. Its puzzle gameplay is perfect for pick up and play sessions in between larger games. The puzzles made me feel smart and changed up the gameplay frequently enough to not get stale. However, what made this game truly a standout was that it not just used music as a way to enhance gameplay, but to actually teach me more about the music used. It felt as if the developers really wanted to share their love of music from all over the world with me. I could’ve never told you how African jazz sounded before playing this game, and I am really glad I discovered a genre like this thanks to Rytmos. The Switch version stutters occasionally and isn’t a perfect port, but if you’re looking for an easy to understand puzzle game that will get you through a few hours, this is absolutely one you should turn up the volume for.

My hope is that a potential sequel to this would alleviate some of these issues, and I really hope it gets one. Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon is a tremendous surprise that, while imperfect, beautifully blends Platinum design with light Zelda and Metroid trappings. The game’s quiet release (and cumbersome title), to me, betrays Cereza and the Lost Demon’s status as perhaps Platinum’s best Switch game yet.

More than anything Rakuen and Mr. Saitou both deliver a delightfully charming experience in a magical world, but one that has the potential to leave you an emotional wreck by the end. The colorful art design and memorable characters are sure to keep the game in your mind for a long time, and Laura Shigihara's background as a musician is clear to see with the game's soundtrack, juggling fun bouncy pieces and somber tunes alongside multiple well done vocal tracks. It is not a soundtrack you will forget any time soon. Rakuen is a story about grief and life, one that is told well and that people should absolutely experience if given the opportunity. Just make sure you have a box of tissues at the ready, just in case.

I played Kirby’s Return to Dream Land on Wii at launch and over the years, it’s never been a high-ranking game on my personal list of Kirby games. After playing through it on Switch, that’s changed, though partially because of the smart updates and changes made in the new version. Kirby’s Return to Dream Land Deluxe is the best 2D Kirby I’ve ever played, combining a lot of the side-scrolling entries' best elements into a heck of a total package that works as both a single-player adventure and a delightful co-op journey.

Where FUR Squadron struggles is in its content. A playthrough only lasts around twenty-five minutes. With no alternate paths to take on future playthroughs, replay value is entirely based on clearing the game at higher difficulties. It may be enough to keep genre enthusiasts engaged for an hour or two, but it lacks the diverse number of permutations, so loved by high score seekers, that can be found in its inspiration. FUR Squadron is a reasonably well executed love letter to Star Fox and rail shooters in general, and it is clear that the potential is there for this developer to pull off something of a much larger scale. It is short and simple, but a fun diversion for genre fans if only for an afternoon.

The puzzles of Backbeat either click with you or don’t, and it’s a mighty challenge to brute force your way through if they don’t. I found the mechanics hard to pick up, and even though the stages have multiple solutions, the patience and juggling required in later stages ended up pushing me to the brink. Other than how the dialogue exchanges work, I do love everything about Backbeat’s presentation, and the story and writing are certainly charming. Ultimately, though, unless you’re musically inclined or have a real knack for movement/resource-based puzzle games, it’s entirely possible you’ll end up wanting to throw Backbeat on the back burner.

The Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is the definitive way to experience the series, with all six titles wrapped in a package that seems to look for every way that a fan can explore the content. There are a few games that are tough to go back to, but when they’re good, they’re really good. The worst I can say is that it doesn’t reach the heights of fan service some of the aforementioned collections do, but comparing Wonder Boy to those standard bearers might be a bit unfair. If you enjoy 2D platformers, liked a game in the series and want to explore more, or just have a curiosity for lesser known classic games, then The Wonder Boy Anniversary Collection is something worth looking up.

What Squad 51 VS The Flying Saucers lacks in technical perfection is more than made up for by its overall presentation and player friendly take on the 2D shmup genre. I was not just having fun; I was invested in the cheesy over the top story. After every level I eagerly loaded up the next one excited to see more of this wonderfully realized world. Yes, the seams are sometimes more visible than one would hope, and loading times to restart a level are legitimately frustrating, but the net result is easily one of my personal favorite shumps of all time.

The Battle of Polytopia offers simple and straightforward gameplay mechanics that are easy to grasp. This makes it a great choice for anyone who is new to the 4X gaming genre and looking for a relaxed introduction. While the lack of distinct personalities for the different leaders makes the game feel a bit bland–with no extra incentive to attack anyone who isn't nearby–the art and music are enjoyable, if somewhat simple. That said, for those who have already delved deeply into this type of game, it may not hold their attention for long.

If you’re looking for more Picross on Switch that’s more than just your standard issue Jupiter releases, Tents & Trees is amazing, making for a novel twist on a logic puzzle game staple. With the excellent style and the ample daily puzzles, this is one I’ll be revisiting for a long time.

If you’re looking for a DC superhero game that relies more on arcadey gameplay, whimsical callbacks, and a playful atmosphere, Justice League Cosmic Chaos is incredible. I had a great time playing through this, both by myself roaming around Happy Harbor trying to save the day while getting distracted by side quests and in co-op with my kid in the smart Instant Action mode. With the bar raised for future games from Outright Games, here’s hoping that Cosmic Chaos is the start of a new era for kid-oriented licensed games.

Overall Ib proves that it is considered a classic among its peers for a reason, and for the most part it still holds up today. It may still have the issue many of this type of game have, being that anything and everything can hurt or kill you even if it’s not entirely obvious that it will do that, but this is not only not as prevalent as other games I have experienced and is also made less impactful by the fact that you are constantly finding save points as you go. Between the atmosphere, soundtrack, artwork, and characters, if you enjoy creepy experiences Ib is definitely something you should check out. This adventure through art that may or may not have it out for you managed to still find a way to scare and stress me out over ten years after its original release, and honestly I just find that impressive.

Session: Skate Sim is an exciting premise on its face. The skate sim genre is up and coming, with new entries promised like Skate 4. The trouble comes when you think about how much is going on in the background. Physics adjustments on the fly, animation adjustments, and massive maps. In an attempt to include this fully featured PC game on the Switch there had to be concessions and we see that in both visuals and how it plays. It’s a miracle that the game runs at all, but just because you can port it, doesn’t mean you should.

Fans of Fatal Frame who want to experience this lost title in the series will likely find enough atmosphere and story to keep their interest, but newcomers may find some of the game’s shortcomings to be a turnoff as their first experience. That being said, you can put a hat on your character that’s a big Camera Obscura, so in a way, maybe it all balances out in the end.

Overall, I would say that Paranormasight surprised me in a way I don’t think I have been in a long time. My only issues with the game are the controls which can feel sort of sluggish and unruly on a controller, though not to an obscene degree. If playing in handheld mode you can get around this by using touch controls, which I found worked just fine for the game’s purposes. The “horror mystery” also seems to steer away from the horror part at certain points, which might disappoint those hoping to see a lot of curse action, but the plot during these moments is just as interesting as when those curses are involved. I am happy my eye was pointed in Paranormasight’s direction, as I think it may already be one of my favorite experiences of the year, and if this kind of game sounds like it appeals to you, it just might be one of yours, too.

Trek to Yomi is a love letter to classic Japanese cinema. Fans of the genre will be fully immersed and giddy about being able to experience something like this, and it is something to behold visually even for those who don’t come with prior knowledge. Unfortunately, those visuals are best experienced on systems other than the Nintendo Switch, which only makes the monotonous gameplay more evident. Incredible storytelling, though cliché, boosts Trek to Yomi towards something worth experiencing, especially when the game can be beaten in an afternoon.